Alex Marquez won the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24 on Michelin control tires, the Spaniard won the 12-lap race by just 0.120 second.
Pedro Acosta was the runner-up on his Red Bull KTM Factory RC16.
Poleman, Marco Bezzecchi finished third on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25.
Fabio Quartararo crossed the finish line fourth on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZF-M1.
Fabio Di Giannantonio got fifth on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Marc Marquez leads the championship with 545 points, 120 ahead of Alex Marquez who has 425 points. Marco Bezzecchi is third with 298 points.
Alex Marquez vs Acosta lights up Portimao in Sprint blockbuster. A phenomenal fight between the 73 and 37, with Bezzecchi right there too, sees Gresini beat KTM by just a tenth on Saturday afternoon in Portugal.
MotoGP at its pulsating best. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) vs Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). 73 vs 37. It was the sky blue of Marquez that won a barnstorming battle against the orange of Acosta in a Saturday head-to-head that will live long in the memory. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) had the perfect viewing spot for the fight while also having his say, with the polesitter just 0.5s away from the gold medal as the trio treat us to something a little bit special in the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal Tissot Sprint.
Bezzecchi grabs holeshot, Marquez gets away well
Bezzecchi launched perfectly from pole to earn the holeshot, with Acosta holding onto P2 ahead of the fast-starting Alex Marquez. The latter gained two places off the line, which meant Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) dropped a place each into P4 and P5 respectively.
At the end of Lap 2 of 12, Bezzecchi had Acosta swarming all over the rear tailpipes of his RS-GP and sure enough, on the run into Turn 1, Acosta struck. The #37 perfected the move to lead the Sprint, and now, Marquez was tucked right behind Bezzecchi too. A gap of 1.5s had opened up behind the rapid trio to Quartararo, Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team).
Let battle commence: Bezzecchi vs Acosta vs Marquez
On Lap 3, Turn 1 saw Bezzecchi get picked off by Marquez. A copy and paste from the pass Acosta made, with the KTM, Ducati and Aprilia riders locked together. Further back, Lap 4 saw Nicolo Bulega (Ducati Lenovo Team) crash out of his first Sprint, Turn 13 catching the Italian out, and at a similar time, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) was forced to retire.
Another Turn 1 move, anyone? Go on then. Marquez attacked but Acosta didn’t hang around in P2 for long. The #37 went for the lead at Turn 3, but Marquez was able to keep hold of P1 on the cutback. Then, Turn 5 witnessed a brilliant move pay off for Acosta, but once again, a couple of laps later, Marquez was able to get a lovely run out of the final corner to set up another Sprint leading move into Turn 1.
However, four corners later, Acosta again lunged at Turn 5 and got the move done. Bezzecchi had a VIP seat in this and the Italian had a wonderful view of Marquez’s latest Turn 1 pass on Acosta.
This was scintillating. Alex Marquez vs Acosta, with Bezzecchi ready to react to any error from the Spaniards. But with three laps to go, Marquez looked like he had something extra in his pocket compared to Acosta and Bezzecchi, with the latter now climbing all over the rear wheel of the KTM.
Heading onto the last lap, Marquez’s lead was 0.4s. Did Acosta have anything left? The answer was yes. Enough to get within touching distance anyway. In the end, it wasn’t quite enough, but what a fight Acosta put up. Marquez fended off his compatriot by just 0.120s, with Bezzecchi third by just half a second in a very memorable Tissot Sprint at Portimao’s rollercoaster.
Your Saturday points scorers
Quartararo kept hold of P4 to cap off a good day for the Yamaha star, with Di Giannantonio eight tenths in arrears to round out the top five. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) won a great battle for P6 that went down to the wire, with Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) also getting the better of Pecco out of the final corner as the Italian loses crucial points in the race for P3 overall. It was P8 in the end for the #63, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) picking up the final Saturday point in P9.
Coming up: Grand Prix Sunday
A repeat of that will go down very nicely tomorrow please! That was MotoGP at its brilliant best. See you tomorrow for more.
Diogo Moreira was the man to beat during Moto2 World qualifying Saturday at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. The Brazilian topped qualifying session with a new lap record time. Riding his Pirelli-shod Italtrans Racing Team Kalex, Moreira navigated the 2.85-mile (4.59 km) course in 1:41.168, breaking Aron Canet’s 2025 All-Time Lap Record of 1:41.210 he set yesterday afternoon during the practice session.
Jake Dixon was second-best with a 1:41.185 on his ELF Marc VDS Racing Boscoscuro.
Collin Veijer claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:41.317 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex.
Row-two qualifiers included Fantic Racing’s Barry Baltus (1:41.337) and Aron Canet (1:41.355) and CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team’s Daniel Holgado (1:41.404).
Moreira takes prime pole position for Moto2™ title showdown. The Brazilian heads Dixon and Veijer, with Gonzalez set to start eighth in Portugal.
The Moto2™ title is on the line this weekend and Championship leader Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) is in prime position for that first match point. He takes pole in Portugal ahead of Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), who also technically remains in contention for the crown at a deficit of 41 points from the top, with rookie Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the front row.
Dixon suffered a crash in the session but no harm done barring losing the chance to hit back against Moreira. The Brazilian took to the top late on by just 0.017, laying down the gauntlet ahead of Sunday.
Moreira’s closest rival for the Championship, nine points back, is Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP). He is down in P8, with other contenders also just ahead of him: Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing), 35 points off the top in fourth overall, is fourth on the grid – with teammate and fifth in the Championship, Aron Canet, alongside him. That second row is completed by rookie Daniel Holgado (CFMoto Inde Aspar Team), who has chance to wrap up Rookie of the Year this weekend if he’s 26 points or more clear.
Daniel Muñoz (Red Bull KTM Ajo) slots into P7 ahead of Gonzalez, with Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) in ninth completing Row 3. David Alonso (CFMoto Inde Aspar Team) locks out the top ten.
Only Moreira, as the points leader, could take the crown tomorrow – with a nine-point advantage only bolstered by pole position. But five riders remain in contention before the end of the Grand Prix race on Sunday – so tune in for a stunning Moto2™ showdown at 11:15 (UTC).
Joel Kelso earned pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his LevelUp MTA KTM on Pirelli control tires, Kelso topped the 25-rider field with a lap time of 1:46.764.
Scott Ogden was the best of the rest with a 1:46.833 on his CIP Green Power KTM, and Angel Piqueras claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:46.927 on his FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI KTM.
Row-two qualifiers included CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team’s Maximo Quiles, (1:47.044) Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP’s Guido Pini (1:47.061) and Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Joel Esteban (1:47.067).
Kelso blasts to Portimao pole in Moto3. In ideal conditions, the #66 secured a fine pole to lead the charge into Sunday.
A fine performance by Australian Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) saw him take a ninth front row of 2025 and a second pole in the last three Grands Prix. He denied Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) who put in a late charge to start second whereas Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) rounds out the front row. It was a closely fought session, with 16 riders covered by less than a second.
Joel Esteban (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) and Marco Morelli (GRYD – MLav Racing) made their way through into Q2 from the first session. Straight down to pace, Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) was the rider who set the initial fastest time but it was still some way off the fastest time of the weekend thus far, set by David Almansa (Leopard Racing) on Friday afternoon. Soon though, it was Quiles who set the fastest lap of the weekend on his final flying lap of Run 1, making for an intense final stint of action.
In the final time attack, there were plenty of red sectors coming in; Pini had managed to get himself onto the provisional front row along with Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI). However, it was all about to change as a late lap from Kelso saw him fly into pole with a 1’46.764. He demoted Ogden’s very own late lap by just 0.069s, with the Australian leading the Brit on the grid whilst Piqueras was a solid third and is one of the favourites on Sunday.
Quiles crashed late on at Turn 13 on what would have been his fastest lap but still heads up the second row ahead of Pini and Esteban, with the latter bagging his first top six on the grid. Notable performances elsewhere include Casey O’Gorman (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) in seventh ahead of top Honda Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) whilst the most-recent Moto3 winner, Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) took P11.
Marco Bezzecchi earned pole position during MotoGP World Championship qualifying on Saturday at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25 on spec Michelin tires, the Italian turned a lap time of 1:37.556 to lead the 22-rider field.
Pedro Acosta was the best of the rest with a 1:37.706 on his Red Bull KTM Factory machine, and Fabio Quartararo claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:37.860 on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZF-M1.
Row-two qualifiers included Lenovo Team Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia (1:37.935), BK8 Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez (1:37.987) and Castrol Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco (1:38.059).
Bezzecchi beats Acosta and Quartararo to bag Portimao pole. A blistering Q2 unfolds at the rollercoaster as a late Turn 3 crash for Alex Marquez costs Friday’s frontrunner a chance of pole.
Well, that wasn’t a bad qualifying session, was it? Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) grabbed pole for the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal with a 1:37.556 in a relentless MotoGP Q2 that sees Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) earn a first front row start of the season in P2. Third place went the way of Q1 graduate Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who once again pulls a rabbit out of the hat in qualifying trim.
Quartararo and Miller grab Q2 spots
The first reference lap time in the dry but tricky conditions was set by Quartararo, a 1:40.031, but that was soon bettered by El Diablo himself. Three riders found themselves in the 1:39 bracket, those were the Frenchman, second place Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and third fastest Nicolo Bulega (Ducati Lenovo Team).
With two minutes to go, Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) shot to P1 by less than a tenth, but red sector times were everywhere as track conditions improved. Quartararo returned the favour to beat Marini’s time by three tenths and shadowing his Yamaha stablemate, Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) promoted himself into P2. And with no more personal or session best times inbound after that flurry of times, the Yamaha duo did enough to sail into Q2.
Four-way fight for pole unfolds as Marquez endures late tip-off
Nicely up to speed after Q1, Quartararo immediately landed the fastest lap time of the day at the beginning of Q2 – a 1:38.518. As expected, though, the second flying laps saw the times tumble, and it was Friday pacesetter Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) who rose to P1. But it was tight. Bezzecchi was 0.027s off, with Acosta also within a tenth of the #73’s effort.
At the end of the first run, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was P4, 0.415s away from Marquez’s 1:38.098, with Quartararo and Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) occupying the provisional P5 and P6 spots on the second row.
However, things were going to change. Bezzecchi was the first to move the goalposts thanks to a 1:37.556, Acosta went P2 but the KTM star was over three tenths down on the Italian, with Miller climbing into the top five from P12. Marquez’s next flyer was only good enough for P3, and that turned to P4 when Quartararo fired himself up to P2.
Then, Marquez’s session was done. A Turn 3 crash meant the 2025 runner-up’s pole position hopes were over, as Acosta climbed back above Quartararo into P2. And that was as good as it was going to get for Acosta, he sat up and out of his final lap, with Bezzecchi also unable to improve.
Would it cost him pole though? Pecco was in touch through Sector 3, but the Italian’s lap went away a bit in the final split to see the #63 go P4, ahead of Marquez. And with that, a blistering Q2 was done – Bezzecchi held onto a brilliant pole, with Acosta and Quartararo making up a tantalising front row.
Your top 12 on the grid
As mentioned, Pecco spearheads the second row in P4 ahead of Marquez and Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR). Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) fronts the third row in P7, the 2020 World Champion will line up alongside Miller and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). Pol Espargaro’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) late personal best saw the #44 earn P10, which means Aldeguer and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), our two rookies, will start from P11 and P12.
Coming up: Tissot Sprint
12 laps, 15:00 local time in Portugal. You know the score – tune in! Especially after that…
Fermin Aldeguer led MotoGP World Championship wet-dry Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24 on spec Michelin tires, the Spaniard turned a lap time of 1:41.654 to lead the 22-rider field.
His teammate, Alex Marquez was the best of the rest with a 1:41.657.
Joan Mir was third at 1:41.677 on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.
Marco Bezzecchi finished the session fourth with a 1:41.963 on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25.
Francesco Bagnaia got fifth on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 with a lap time of 1:42.012.
Alex Escrig was quickest during Moto2 World Championship wet Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his Pirelli-shod KLINT Forward on the 2.85-mile (4.59 km) track, the Spaniard recorded a 1:58.105 to lead the field of 10 riders.
Sergio Garcia was the best of the rest with a 1:58.251 on his ITALJET Gresini Kalex.
Mario Aji was third-fastest with a 1:58.802 on his IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia Kalex.
Angel Piqueras led Moto3 World Championship wet Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning, at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Piqueras used his Pirelli-shod FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI KTM to lap the 2.85-mile (4.59 km) track in 1:59.106 to lead the field of 19 riders.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brian Uriarte was second-best with a time of 2:00.600.
Adrian Fernandez, piloting his Leopard Racing Honda, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 2:00.841.
Alex Marquez (73) at Portimao. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini Team.
Alex Marquez:“I got here in Portugal in the right mood. I’m relax but still wit the right tension for a MotoGP weekend. We need to flow here riding wise and we managed to do so from the early laps. We’re good, the team is working well as always and today’s two sessions were positive.”
Fermin Aldeguer (54) at Portimao. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini Racing.
Fermin Aldeguer:“We hit our Q2 target with excellent feeling from the get-go. I was a little nervous yesterday thinking about this track – and with the chance of rain. But we adapted pretty well to the track and gelled with the bike. We’re probably even in a better place pace wise compared to the time attack, but we can improve the latter as well tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC Castrol:
Consistent through change – Mir on the pace in Portugal as Marini narrowly misses out.
Shifting weather throughout the day kept the Honda HRC Castrol team on their toes, but Joan Mir emerged as the fifth fastest rider while Luca Marini just missed the Q2 cut off as he recovered from an early fall.
A day of dark clouds commenced round 21 of the MotoGP World Championship, weather radars and upward glances were the order of the day. With the conditions ready to change at a moment’s notice, the Honda HRC Castrol squad were keen to get to work and capitalise on the best of the track conditions at each and every moment.
Continuing to brim with confidence after two podiums, Joan Mir made himself a key fixture in the top ten once more. Eighth in the morning, the 2020 MotoGP World Champion would improve his time by over a second in the afternoon to seal fifth overall on Friday. Comfortably into Q2, Mir was able to exploit his impressive feeling with the Honda RC213V and show the pace to fight for the front two rows of the grid. With the bike setup already able to contest the top five, Mir and his team will focus on minor improvements overnight as they target a strong qualifying to line up a competitive pair of races.
Seventh in the morning, a fall early in the afternoon left Marini with just a single bike when the first shootout of the weekend began. Making an impressive improvement after a brief sprinkling of rain, the #10 would be pushed out of the top ten in the final moments. Eleventh overall and just a tenth off Q2, Marini and his team already have some ideas on how to improve and fight for the top spots in Q1 on Saturday.
The 12-lap Sprint is schedule for 15:00 Local Time on Saturday, November 08 with reasonable conditions forecast.
Joan Mir (36) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Honda HRC
Joan Mir:“A big smile today, in a positive spiral from the flyaways! Today we confirmed that we can be competitive here as well, I have a good feeling with the bike – especially with the front, and this makes my life on track a lot easier than it has been in the past. The bike is working well, of course there are things to improve but we really have a bike where we can compete now. This is really important, to arrive and know that we can be there and that we are in the area more or less straight away. Our feeling is similar to Sepang, we are close to the top guys and working in the correct way, let’s see what everyone can find tonight to be strong on Saturday too.”
Luca Marini (10) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Honda HRC
Luca Marini:“Not our best day, my mistake with the crash and some bad luck. I was a bit wide and the temperature of the tyre dropped, it’s easy to happen here with the conditions we had. It’s a pity because we lost time, we couldn’t use that bike, but I stayed focused to push hard because you could see the weather coming in. For tomorrow we need to improve the braking in Turn 1 and 5, some fine tuning to increase my speed. Today we also tried a couple of new things to help out the engineers which is always good, we’ve made a lot of progress this year but we still have more to make.”
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More from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Positive vibes for Aprilia Racing in Portimão.
The first day of practice at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve ended with positive feedback for Aprilia Racing. Marco Bezzecchi reaffirmed his outstanding feeling with the RS-GP25 and with the track, putting in a solid Friday. After his second-place time in FP1 – less than two tenths behind the top time – the Italian rider finished practice fourth, thereby clinching a spot in Q2.
Lorenzo Savadori, subbing for Jorge Martín, continued his work developing the RS-GP25, finishing practice in twenty-first place.
Also worth a mention was Trackhouse MotoGP Team rider Ai Ogura’s performance, who finished practice in the top ten, earning a spot in Q2 along with Bezzecchi.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing
Marco Bezzecchi: “The day went well because I had positive sensations already in the first session, which were then confirmed in the afternoon. We also managed to improve, especially in the session finale, despite the light rain. It was a good first day and I’m satisfied.”
Lorenzo Savadori (32) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing
Lorenzo Savadori: “Having two Aprilias in Q2 is extremely positive. We tested something interesting that seems to be working well, although it was a bit of a peculiar day because of the weather. I hadn’t raced here for several years and it’s great to be back, but we know that it is an extremely particular track, so it’s positive to see a track where we perform well.”
Paolo Bonora: “It was a positive day with Marco doing the fourth-place time which puts him straight through to Q2. We managed to send both Marco and Ogura straight to Q2 in the practice session, but there is still a lot of work to be done in order to be ready for both the sprint race and the long race. However, we know what areas we need to work on to improve. With Lorenzo, on the other hand, we are one hundred percent in line with the plan. We’re continuing to advance technical development solutions to improve the bike.”
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Uphill Battle for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP on Portimão Friday.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins kicked off the Grand Prix of Portugal weekend in somewhat mixed conditions. The teammates pushed to the limit at an overcast Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and ended the day in 13th and 18th place respectively in the classifications, putting them on tomorrow’s Q1 entry list.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team got straight to work on the Grand Prix of Portugal Friday. Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins used FP1 and most of the Practice to prepare for a tense shoot-out. They ended the afternoon session in 13th and 18th place respectively and will take part in tomorrow’s Q1.
Quartararo finished FP1 in P11 and was keen to push in the afternoon session. When the Practice got underway, the Frenchman showed he meant business by featuring inside the top 10 until the final 20 minutes. However, crucially, some light rain started to fall just when El Diablo was due to begin his time attack, making it more challenging to find the limit on his hot laps. Quartararo was 13th at the time and had to push. He set a 1’38.717s, which temporarily had him rank fourth, but with 6 minutes left, he was nudged outside the top 10. Though he responded by clocking a 1’38.598s on lap 21/23, he ended up in 13th place in the Practice timesheets, 0.624s from first.
Rins wrapped up FP1 in P16 and was keen to make further steps in the afternoon. The Spaniard worked diligently during the 60-minute Practice and showed his fondness of the Portimão track. He climbed up to 11th, but with 16 minutes to go, spots of rains started to fall, making track conditions more difficult to assess during the time attacks. The number-42 rider put in several more attempts, but he wasn’t able to get into the 1’38s. His 1’39.070s, set on lap 15/23, put him in 18th place in the Practice results, 1.096s from the top.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action tomorrow for the Saturday MotoGP sessions: FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40 GMT+0, followed by the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, and the 12-lap Sprint, which starts at 15:00.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
“We faced more challenges than anticipated at the start of the Portimão weekend. Today’s results reflect the poor track conditions. Unfortunately, we had sudden rain in both session which didn’t help either. Compared to our rivals we tend to struggle more in low-grip conditions, making it a complicated first day. While Fabio still came close to a top-10 result and both riders gave their maximum effort, we remain too far from the front. The level of competition is extremely high, so we are focused on extracting every ounce of performance from our package. The team is committed to supporting the riders as they prepare for a highly competitive Q1 and Sprint. Looking ahead, the forecast for the coming days is sunnier, or at least should provide fully dry sessions, allowing us to work under more consistent conditions.”
Fabio Quartararo (20) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha
Fabio Quartararo:“We are struggling quite a bit. This is a track where grip is very important. When everything is set up right, as a rider you can enjoy riding here like it’s a roller coaster. This is a track I really like, but today my feeling was not great on the bike, so we have to analyse it. We have to try to find a solution for tomorrow to improve our feeling a bit.”
Alex Rins (42) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha
Alex Rins:“This is a demanding track, and if you make a mistake, like when we missed corner 1 in the Practice, the whole lap is cancelled. Today, we struggled with a mix of problems, maybe because of the low grip and the mixed conditions. Today’s weather out on track was not ideal for us. But we need to stay positive. Let’s see if tomorrow we can do better, especially for the Sprint with more grip on track.”
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More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Francesco Bagnaia and the Ducati Lenovo Team second in Portimão Practice. Nicolò Bulega seventeenth on his MotoGP debut.
The Ducati Lenovo Team enjoyed a positive penultimate Friday of the 2025 MotoGP season at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão. Francesco Bagnaia finished Practice in second place, while Nicolò Bulega was seventeenth on his first-ever day in MotoGP.
Bagnaia started the afternoon session well, taking fourth place in the opening minutes. After briefly dropping to the lower end of the top ten, Pecco made his way back to second courtesy of an excellent time attack, ending up only 30 milliseconds shy of today’s quickest time. Bulega, this year’s WorldSBK runner-up with Ducati, showed encouraging signs aboard the Desmosedici GP as he finished seventeenth, one second off the top.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action tomorrow morning at 10:10 local time (GMT) for Free Practice 2, followed by Q1 at 10:50 and Q2 at 11:15. The twenty-first Sprint of the season will be contested over 12 laps from 15:00.
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Ducati Team
Francesco Bagnaia: “This morning we made a mistake with the front-tyre choice. I was having a bit of a difficult time because the bike tended to go wide at some corners and I couldn’t make it stop and flow into the corner. Things went better this afternoon: we started with the soft option to get some feedback from the bike, and then I enjoyed the hard front tyre as well. In the last time attack we managed to set a good lap time without pushing too hard. All in all, I’d say the situation is positive at the moment.”
Nicolo Bulega (11) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Ducati Team
Nicolo Bulega: “Today went quite well. I didn’t give too much importance to the classification: what really mattered was completing as many laps as possible and understanding the many differences compared to the bike I’m used to. Tyres are different, there are the ride-height devices to manage, and the Desmosedici GP is really a powerful machine. The positive thing, ironically enough, is that my riding wasn’t the best — but I guess that’s quite normal. There’s a lot to process and absorb, but I’ll sleep on it and start tomorrow with one more day of experience.”
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More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3:
The penultimate round of a thrilling 2025 MotoGP™ campaign has kicked off on Friday at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal. Enea Bastianini and Pol Espargaro were representing the Red Bull KTM Tech3 squad, with the latter filling in for Maverick Viñales for the 5th time this season. The number 44 did us good once again, as he directly reached Q2 for the third time this season with a 9th place in Practice, while Enea Bastianini will have to go through Q1 on Saturday, after finishing 19th.
As Maverick Viñales continues to recover, Pol Espargaro was once again a man on a mission arriving to Portimao, with some unfinished business between the Spaniard and the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, the track where he was seriously injured during the opening round of the 2023 season. Time has flown by since then, and Espargaro was ready to face this new challenge and step once again into Viñales’ boots. And he did brilliantly so, as Polyccio grabbed his direct Q2 ticket after taking the 9th place of a rain-disrupted Practice session on Friday afternoon. After a positive FP1 at the end of which we saw him take the 5th time this morning, the Spaniard managed to make it to the coveted top 10 on Friday afternoon, thanks to a very late improvement in 1’38.424, one that saw him remain in 9th at the final checkered flag. Solid job from the Spaniard, who will give his best to place his RC16 on the front rows on Saturday.
Fridays have not been Enea Bastianini’s favorites this season, with the Italian having often struggled to quickly adapt his RC16 to new tracks. One of the key points of the day was the new swing arm, brought to Enea for the first time this morning. The Italian was finally able to benefit from it, and small improvements were already noticed by the Italian, although he will need to get his head around it. In Free Practice 1, Enea was just 1.2 seconds off early pace setter, Alex Marquez. In the afternoon, track conditions were a bit tricky, with the rain joining the party, and the best Enea could give was a 1’39.130, placing him in 19th of the timesheets. He will have to face Q1 on Saturday morning at 10:50 local time, shortly after Free Practice 2 kicking off MotoGP™ action at 10:10. Then, there will be the penultimate Tissot Sprint of the season, at 15:00 for 12 laps.
Pol Espargaro (44) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3
Pol Espargaro: “Fabio Quartararo is one of those guys who keeps pushing even if there is someone behind him, and this is why he is one of the best riders, because he is confident. I tried to follow him, I tried to push as much as I could. It was really tough to make a good lap time today, so I am happy that we managed to make one which has qualified us directly into Q2. Psychologically, it has been so important for myself to reach the pit box back on my bike after my small crash this morning, and it gave me the confidence I needed for the remainder of the day, because obviously, the last time we crashed here was bad. Anyway, it was a good day for us, let’s try to qualify well tomorrow!”
Enea Bastianini (23) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3
Enea Bastianini: “Today has been more or less like the other Fridays, unfortunately. Track conditions were difficult, because it was quite dark in Practice, and it was not easy to understand which parts of the track were dry. I also think that our strategy was not great because I just had one lap with the new tires, so we need to improve this for tomorrow. For the first time, we tried the new swing arm, in both sessions. We have improved a bit, but we need to adjust a few things, because after checking the data, we are losing in some strange points of the track, where I am usually good at like T3, so we have to look into this!”
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More from a press release issued by CASTROL Honda LCR:
Positive start for Johann Zarco in Portugal.
Returning to Portuguese soil after more than a year, Frenchman Johann Zarco and his crew enjoyed a positive and strong start to the weekend.
From his first run in the morning, Zarco felt fast and confident, consistently placing inside the top four on the timesheets.
Although weather conditions changed throughout the day, he maintained good feeling and consistency.
He ended the day in 6th position, less than three-tenths off the fastest time, securing a direct spot in Q2 ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying.
Johann Zarco (5) at Portimao. Photo courtesy CASTROL Honda LCR
Johann Zarco 6th:“It was a positive Friday, and I was happy to have found the speed straight away. That’s good for the confidence, and the front-end feeling confirms the good feeling from Malaysia. I was able to be fast, to push, and to set a good lap time, but we still need to improve the pace. We’re working hard to find the right solution. With both medium tyres the feeling was better in the afternoon, which was good. Securing a Q2 spot is positive, and now we’ll focus on having a solid qualifying to start from a strong position in the Sprint.”
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More from a press release issued by IDEMITSU Honda LCR:
Somkiat Chantra completes hectic Friday in Portugal.
Somkiat Chantra was one of the highlights in Portimão on Friday after a massive wheelie in the morning session, which drew the attention of all the cameras.
In the afternoon, the Thai rider reported feeling good on the bike after testing different setups.
The Portimão track is one of the most demanding of the season, and Chantra and his crew are determined to maximize their potential and deliver the best possible performance in qualifying and the Sprint.
Somkiat Chantra (35) at Portimao. Photo courtesy IDEMITSU Honda LCR
Somkiat Chantra 20th: “Today was crazy! I had a big wheelie in sixth gear. After it, I was shaking and lucky to save it. Throughout the day, I felt good; we’ve been working on different setups to feel comfortable on this track, which is demanding but really fun. I’ll try to give my best, to improve and do better tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Challenging start to the Portuguese GP for the Prima Pramac Yamaha.
The first day of the Portuguese GP proved to be demanding for the Prima Pramac Yamaha, as changing weather conditions affected both Practice sessions. Despite a positive start in the morning, the afternoon rain complicated the work on track, preventing the riders from fully expressing their potential.
The Portuguese Grand Prix got underway with mixed feelings for the Prima Pramac Yamaha team. Jack Miller displayed promising speed in the morning session, while local star Miguel Oliveira thrilled the home fans around Portimão.
Despite their efforts, the afternoon rain shuffled the order, leaving the two riders in 16th and 22nd place ahead of tomorrow‘s Q1.
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
“Jack started well, setting his best time on the new tyre when the track offered good grip. The afternoon rain created some confusion and reduced grip significantly. Between the two sessions, we worked a lot to help Miguel make a step forward, and tomorrow we‘ll try an important change to give him better support. Unfortunately, Jack couldn‘t make it directly into Q2, but we have some ideas to try”.
Jack Miller (43) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha
Jack Miller:“The day started well, with the new tyre I felt comfortable and my pace was good. In the afternoon, the weather conditions became challenging and difficult to read. I couldn‘t find the same feeling, and I also had a small crash at Turn 5 due to the incoming rain. After that, I managed to put together a decent lap, but it wasn‘t enough to get directly into Q2”.
Miguel Oliveira (88) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha
Miguel Oliveira:“The tricky weather conditions made our day complicated. We worked on the bike setup to find the feeling we were looking for, but unfortunately, the changes we tried didn‘t give us the results we hoped for. Tomorrow we‘ll face an uphill Saturday, but we‘ll keep pushing to turn things around”.
November 7, 2025 – Portimão, Portugal. The American Racing Team heads into the 2026 season with an updated rider line-up, welcoming Filip Salač to the team alongside Joe Roberts.
Salač joins the team with a strong record in Moto2 and a reputation for hard work and great motivation. His experience and approach to racing fit perfectly with the team’s mindset as American Racing continues to build on its progress and push for the team’s continuous evolution and long-term vision to remain consistently competitive at the highest level of the sport.
Eitan Butbul, Team Principal:“Every new season is an opportunity to grow, to challenge ourselves, and to take another step forward as a team. Our focus is simple: keep improving, stay hungry, and compete with passion. Change brings opportunity, and we’re fired up for what’s ahead. We’re excited to welcome Filip to the team and look forward to achieving great things together in 2026.”
Filip Salač, Rider: “I want to say thanks to Eitan for this opportunity, it means a lot to me, especially after a season that wasn’t my best. I can’t wait to start with the Team and to be back on the Kalex. I truly believe this will be a year to remember, not only for me but also for the Team. I know we’ll achieve great things together.”
Harley-Davidson has officially revealed new details of the highly anticipated Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup during a press conference at EICMA 2025 in Milan. The brand revealed the series’ official logo, debuted a prototype race bike, and announced the first teams confirmed to compete in the inaugural season. Kicking off in 2026, the series will run alongside six MotoGP™ Grands Prix, marking a significant evolution in the company’s racing legacy.
The Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will become the world’s first global racing series dedicated exclusively to high-performance Harley-Davidson baggers. Built on the brand’s Grand American Touring platform, these race-modified bikes will deliver incredible speed, agility, and on-track drama. They weigh approximately 280 kg (617 lbs), produce more than 200 horsepower, and will exceed 300 km/h (186 mph) on track, creating a visceral racing format distinct from anything currently on the MotoGP calendar.
Harley-Davidson also revealed the official championship logo, an evolution of the brand’s iconic Bar & Shield visual language, blending Harley-Davidson heritage with a modern, global racing identity. The new visual identity was officially unveiled at the Harley-Davidson stand with the race-prepped Road Glide, purpose-built for competition by Harley-Davidson Factory Racing and featuring the official championship logo in its exclusive livery.
Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup logo
Harley-Davidson also confirmed the first teams that will join the inaugural Bagger World Cup grid: Saddlemen Racing (United States), Joe Rascal Racing (Australia) and Cecchini Racing (Italy). Each brings unique pedigree, competitive ambition, and global credibility to the new championship.
Saddlemen Racing enters as one of America’s most established and innovative V-twin performance programs. Led by David Echert, the team competes in MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers and claimed the 2024 Mission Super Hooligan National Championship, earning a reputation for technical excellence, rider development, and race-winning engineering. With deep roots in V-twin performance culture, Saddlemen brings proven capability and championship ambition to the global stage.
Joe Rascal Racing, led by James Tonna, represents Australia’s bold new voice in premium performance and international motorsport. With foundations in high-end motorcycle retail and racing operations, the program blends commercial acumen with a passion for performance culture. With a growing international footprint and rapidly expanding community, Joe Rascal joins the Bagger World Cup intent on elevating the sport across the Asia-Pacific region and proving that Australia belongs on the global bagger stage.
Cecchini Racing brings Italian motorsport heritage and decades of elite European racing experience to the championship. Led by Fabrizio Cecchini, the team has spent more than 30 years inside the MotoGP paddock supporting world-class riders and teams. Cecchini Racing arrives with engineering precision, competitive discipline and European pedigree, all now directed toward the world’s first global bagger series.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the first teams that have secured their spots in the inaugural season of the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup,”said Kolja Rebstock, Senior Vice President for International Markets, Harley-Davidson Motor Company.“Since the initial announcement of the series, we’ve seen tremendous interest from well-established and respected organizations. We’ve designed the series to feature between six and eight teams, for a total of 12 to 16 riders, and with these first three agreements, we’ve already filled almost half the grid. It’s a strong signal that confirms the momentum and excitement surrounding this project. We’re moving quickly to bring this championship to life and can’t wait to hit the track in 2026. It’s going to be loud, competitive, and unlike anything fans have ever seen before.”
As already announced in August at the Austrian GP, the championship will span six adrenaline-fueled rounds, each held during MotoGP ™ weekends, with two races per round, totaling 12 races across the season. This format brings Harley-Davidson’s signature performance to some of the world’s most iconic circuits, amplifying the excitement for fans and riders alike. The 2026 calendar includes:
• Grand Prix of The Americas – Circuit of the Americas (USA): March 27–29
• Grand Prix of Italy – Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello (Italy): May 29–31
• Grand Prix of the Netherlands – TT Circuit Assen (Netherlands): June 26–28
• Grand Prix of the United Kingdom – Silverstone Circuit (UK): August 7–9
• Grand Prix of Aragon – MotorLand Aragón (Spain): August 28–30
• Grand Prix of Austria – Red Bull Ring (Austria): September 18–20 – Championship Round
With the Bagger World Cup, Harley-Davidson is redefining what’s possible on two wheels, bringing thunder, torque, and a whole new level of excitement to racetracks around the world.
Harley-Davidson Background:
Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Our vision: Building our legend and leading our industry through innovation, evolution and emotion. Our mission: More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul. Our ambition is to maintain our place as the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture by delivering a motorcycle lifestyle with distinctive and customizable motorcycles, experiences, motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing, insurance and other programs to help get riders on the road. Harley-Davidson also has a controlling interest in LiveWire Group, Inc., the first publicly traded all-electric motorcycle company in the United States. LiveWire is the future in the making for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. Drawing on its DNA as an agile disruptor from the lineage of Harley-Davidson and capitalizing on a decade of learnings in the EV sector, LiveWire’s ambition is to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world. Learn more at harley-davidson.com and livewire.com.
MotoGP™ Background:
Welcome to the most exciting sport on earth. The fastest bikes. The most forward- thinking manufacturers. The world’s most fearless riders. This is the hunt, and there can only be one winner. Come with us to the edge of possibility and the edge of your seat. MotoGP™. Faster. Forward. Fearless.
Alex Marquez won the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24 on Michelin control tires, the Spaniard won the 12-lap race by just 0.120 second.
Pedro Acosta was the runner-up on his Red Bull KTM Factory RC16.
Poleman, Marco Bezzecchi finished third on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25.
Fabio Quartararo crossed the finish line fourth on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZF-M1.
Fabio Di Giannantonio got fifth on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Marc Marquez leads the championship with 545 points, 120 ahead of Alex Marquez who has 425 points. Marco Bezzecchi is third with 298 points.
Alex Marquez vs Acosta lights up Portimao in Sprint blockbuster. A phenomenal fight between the 73 and 37, with Bezzecchi right there too, sees Gresini beat KTM by just a tenth on Saturday afternoon in Portugal.
MotoGP at its pulsating best. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) vs Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). 73 vs 37. It was the sky blue of Marquez that won a barnstorming battle against the orange of Acosta in a Saturday head-to-head that will live long in the memory. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) had the perfect viewing spot for the fight while also having his say, with the polesitter just 0.5s away from the gold medal as the trio treat us to something a little bit special in the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal Tissot Sprint.
Bezzecchi grabs holeshot, Marquez gets away well
Bezzecchi launched perfectly from pole to earn the holeshot, with Acosta holding onto P2 ahead of the fast-starting Alex Marquez. The latter gained two places off the line, which meant Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) dropped a place each into P4 and P5 respectively.
At the end of Lap 2 of 12, Bezzecchi had Acosta swarming all over the rear tailpipes of his RS-GP and sure enough, on the run into Turn 1, Acosta struck. The #37 perfected the move to lead the Sprint, and now, Marquez was tucked right behind Bezzecchi too. A gap of 1.5s had opened up behind the rapid trio to Quartararo, Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team).
Let battle commence: Bezzecchi vs Acosta vs Marquez
On Lap 3, Turn 1 saw Bezzecchi get picked off by Marquez. A copy and paste from the pass Acosta made, with the KTM, Ducati and Aprilia riders locked together. Further back, Lap 4 saw Nicolo Bulega (Ducati Lenovo Team) crash out of his first Sprint, Turn 13 catching the Italian out, and at a similar time, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) was forced to retire.
Another Turn 1 move, anyone? Go on then. Marquez attacked but Acosta didn’t hang around in P2 for long. The #37 went for the lead at Turn 3, but Marquez was able to keep hold of P1 on the cutback. Then, Turn 5 witnessed a brilliant move pay off for Acosta, but once again, a couple of laps later, Marquez was able to get a lovely run out of the final corner to set up another Sprint leading move into Turn 1.
However, four corners later, Acosta again lunged at Turn 5 and got the move done. Bezzecchi had a VIP seat in this and the Italian had a wonderful view of Marquez’s latest Turn 1 pass on Acosta.
This was scintillating. Alex Marquez vs Acosta, with Bezzecchi ready to react to any error from the Spaniards. But with three laps to go, Marquez looked like he had something extra in his pocket compared to Acosta and Bezzecchi, with the latter now climbing all over the rear wheel of the KTM.
Heading onto the last lap, Marquez’s lead was 0.4s. Did Acosta have anything left? The answer was yes. Enough to get within touching distance anyway. In the end, it wasn’t quite enough, but what a fight Acosta put up. Marquez fended off his compatriot by just 0.120s, with Bezzecchi third by just half a second in a very memorable Tissot Sprint at Portimao’s rollercoaster.
Your Saturday points scorers
Quartararo kept hold of P4 to cap off a good day for the Yamaha star, with Di Giannantonio eight tenths in arrears to round out the top five. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) won a great battle for P6 that went down to the wire, with Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) also getting the better of Pecco out of the final corner as the Italian loses crucial points in the race for P3 overall. It was P8 in the end for the #63, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) picking up the final Saturday point in P9.
Coming up: Grand Prix Sunday
A repeat of that will go down very nicely tomorrow please! That was MotoGP at its brilliant best. See you tomorrow for more.
Diogo Moreira in Parc Fermé after claiming pole position at Portimao. Photo courtesy Dorna
Diogo Moreira was the man to beat during Moto2 World qualifying Saturday at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. The Brazilian topped qualifying session with a new lap record time. Riding his Pirelli-shod Italtrans Racing Team Kalex, Moreira navigated the 2.85-mile (4.59 km) course in 1:41.168, breaking Aron Canet’s 2025 All-Time Lap Record of 1:41.210 he set yesterday afternoon during the practice session.
Jake Dixon was second-best with a 1:41.185 on his ELF Marc VDS Racing Boscoscuro.
Collin Veijer claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:41.317 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex.
Row-two qualifiers included Fantic Racing’s Barry Baltus (1:41.337) and Aron Canet (1:41.355) and CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team’s Daniel Holgado (1:41.404).
Moreira takes prime pole position for Moto2™ title showdown. The Brazilian heads Dixon and Veijer, with Gonzalez set to start eighth in Portugal.
The Moto2™ title is on the line this weekend and Championship leader Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) is in prime position for that first match point. He takes pole in Portugal ahead of Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), who also technically remains in contention for the crown at a deficit of 41 points from the top, with rookie Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the front row.
Dixon suffered a crash in the session but no harm done barring losing the chance to hit back against Moreira. The Brazilian took to the top late on by just 0.017, laying down the gauntlet ahead of Sunday.
Moreira’s closest rival for the Championship, nine points back, is Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP). He is down in P8, with other contenders also just ahead of him: Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing), 35 points off the top in fourth overall, is fourth on the grid – with teammate and fifth in the Championship, Aron Canet, alongside him. That second row is completed by rookie Daniel Holgado (CFMoto Inde Aspar Team), who has chance to wrap up Rookie of the Year this weekend if he’s 26 points or more clear.
Daniel Muñoz (Red Bull KTM Ajo) slots into P7 ahead of Gonzalez, with Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) in ninth completing Row 3. David Alonso (CFMoto Inde Aspar Team) locks out the top ten.
Only Moreira, as the points leader, could take the crown tomorrow – with a nine-point advantage only bolstered by pole position. But five riders remain in contention before the end of the Grand Prix race on Sunday – so tune in for a stunning Moto2™ showdown at 11:15 (UTC).
Joel Kelso in Parc Fermé after claiming pole position at Portimao. Photo courtesy Dorna
Joel Kelso earned pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his LevelUp MTA KTM on Pirelli control tires, Kelso topped the 25-rider field with a lap time of 1:46.764.
Scott Ogden was the best of the rest with a 1:46.833 on his CIP Green Power KTM, and Angel Piqueras claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:46.927 on his FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI KTM.
Row-two qualifiers included CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team’s Maximo Quiles, (1:47.044) Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP’s Guido Pini (1:47.061) and Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Joel Esteban (1:47.067).
Kelso blasts to Portimao pole in Moto3. In ideal conditions, the #66 secured a fine pole to lead the charge into Sunday.
A fine performance by Australian Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) saw him take a ninth front row of 2025 and a second pole in the last three Grands Prix. He denied Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) who put in a late charge to start second whereas Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) rounds out the front row. It was a closely fought session, with 16 riders covered by less than a second.
Joel Esteban (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) and Marco Morelli (GRYD – MLav Racing) made their way through into Q2 from the first session. Straight down to pace, Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) was the rider who set the initial fastest time but it was still some way off the fastest time of the weekend thus far, set by David Almansa (Leopard Racing) on Friday afternoon. Soon though, it was Quiles who set the fastest lap of the weekend on his final flying lap of Run 1, making for an intense final stint of action.
In the final time attack, there were plenty of red sectors coming in; Pini had managed to get himself onto the provisional front row along with Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI). However, it was all about to change as a late lap from Kelso saw him fly into pole with a 1’46.764. He demoted Ogden’s very own late lap by just 0.069s, with the Australian leading the Brit on the grid whilst Piqueras was a solid third and is one of the favourites on Sunday.
Quiles crashed late on at Turn 13 on what would have been his fastest lap but still heads up the second row ahead of Pini and Esteban, with the latter bagging his first top six on the grid. Notable performances elsewhere include Casey O’Gorman (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) in seventh ahead of top Honda Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) whilst the most-recent Moto3 winner, Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) took P11.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Dorna
Marco Bezzecchi earned pole position during MotoGP World Championship qualifying on Saturday at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25 on spec Michelin tires, the Italian turned a lap time of 1:37.556 to lead the 22-rider field.
Pedro Acosta was the best of the rest with a 1:37.706 on his Red Bull KTM Factory machine, and Fabio Quartararo claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:37.860 on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZF-M1.
Row-two qualifiers included Lenovo Team Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia (1:37.935), BK8 Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez (1:37.987) and Castrol Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco (1:38.059).
Bezzecchi beats Acosta and Quartararo to bag Portimao pole. A blistering Q2 unfolds at the rollercoaster as a late Turn 3 crash for Alex Marquez costs Friday’s frontrunner a chance of pole.
Well, that wasn’t a bad qualifying session, was it? Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) grabbed pole for the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal with a 1:37.556 in a relentless MotoGP Q2 that sees Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) earn a first front row start of the season in P2. Third place went the way of Q1 graduate Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who once again pulls a rabbit out of the hat in qualifying trim.
Quartararo and Miller grab Q2 spots
The first reference lap time in the dry but tricky conditions was set by Quartararo, a 1:40.031, but that was soon bettered by El Diablo himself. Three riders found themselves in the 1:39 bracket, those were the Frenchman, second place Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and third fastest Nicolo Bulega (Ducati Lenovo Team).
With two minutes to go, Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) shot to P1 by less than a tenth, but red sector times were everywhere as track conditions improved. Quartararo returned the favour to beat Marini’s time by three tenths and shadowing his Yamaha stablemate, Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) promoted himself into P2. And with no more personal or session best times inbound after that flurry of times, the Yamaha duo did enough to sail into Q2.
Four-way fight for pole unfolds as Marquez endures late tip-off
Nicely up to speed after Q1, Quartararo immediately landed the fastest lap time of the day at the beginning of Q2 – a 1:38.518. As expected, though, the second flying laps saw the times tumble, and it was Friday pacesetter Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) who rose to P1. But it was tight. Bezzecchi was 0.027s off, with Acosta also within a tenth of the #73’s effort.
At the end of the first run, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was P4, 0.415s away from Marquez’s 1:38.098, with Quartararo and Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) occupying the provisional P5 and P6 spots on the second row.
However, things were going to change. Bezzecchi was the first to move the goalposts thanks to a 1:37.556, Acosta went P2 but the KTM star was over three tenths down on the Italian, with Miller climbing into the top five from P12. Marquez’s next flyer was only good enough for P3, and that turned to P4 when Quartararo fired himself up to P2.
Then, Marquez’s session was done. A Turn 3 crash meant the 2025 runner-up’s pole position hopes were over, as Acosta climbed back above Quartararo into P2. And that was as good as it was going to get for Acosta, he sat up and out of his final lap, with Bezzecchi also unable to improve.
Would it cost him pole though? Pecco was in touch through Sector 3, but the Italian’s lap went away a bit in the final split to see the #63 go P4, ahead of Marquez. And with that, a blistering Q2 was done – Bezzecchi held onto a brilliant pole, with Acosta and Quartararo making up a tantalising front row.
Your top 12 on the grid
As mentioned, Pecco spearheads the second row in P4 ahead of Marquez and Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR). Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) fronts the third row in P7, the 2020 World Champion will line up alongside Miller and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). Pol Espargaro’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) late personal best saw the #44 earn P10, which means Aldeguer and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), our two rookies, will start from P11 and P12.
Coming up: Tissot Sprint
12 laps, 15:00 local time in Portugal. You know the score – tune in! Especially after that…
Fermin Aldeguer (54) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Gresini Team
Fermin Aldeguer led MotoGP World Championship wet-dry Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his BK8 Gresini Ducati Desmosedici GP24 on spec Michelin tires, the Spaniard turned a lap time of 1:41.654 to lead the 22-rider field.
His teammate, Alex Marquez was the best of the rest with a 1:41.657.
Joan Mir was third at 1:41.677 on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.
Marco Bezzecchi finished the session fourth with a 1:41.963 on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25.
Francesco Bagnaia got fifth on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 with a lap time of 1:42.012.
Alex Escrig (11) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Forward Team
Alex Escrig was quickest during Moto2 World Championship wet Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Riding his Pirelli-shod KLINT Forward on the 2.85-mile (4.59 km) track, the Spaniard recorded a 1:58.105 to lead the field of 10 riders.
Sergio Garcia was the best of the rest with a 1:58.251 on his ITALJET Gresini Kalex.
Mario Aji was third-fastest with a 1:58.802 on his IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia Kalex.
Angel Piqueras (36) at Portimao. Photo courtesy MSI Team.
Angel Piqueras led Moto3 World Championship wet Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning, at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal. Piqueras used his Pirelli-shod FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI KTM to lap the 2.85-mile (4.59 km) track in 1:59.106 to lead the field of 19 riders.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brian Uriarte was second-best with a time of 2:00.600.
Adrian Fernandez, piloting his Leopard Racing Honda, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 2:00.841.
Alex Marquez (73) at Portimao. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini Team.
Alex Marquez:“I got here in Portugal in the right mood. I’m relax but still wit the right tension for a MotoGP weekend. We need to flow here riding wise and we managed to do so from the early laps. We’re good, the team is working well as always and today’s two sessions were positive.”
Fermin Aldeguer (54) at Portimao. Photo courtesy BK8 Gresini Racing.
Fermin Aldeguer:“We hit our Q2 target with excellent feeling from the get-go. I was a little nervous yesterday thinking about this track – and with the chance of rain. But we adapted pretty well to the track and gelled with the bike. We’re probably even in a better place pace wise compared to the time attack, but we can improve the latter as well tomorrow.”
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC Castrol:
Consistent through change – Mir on the pace in Portugal as Marini narrowly misses out.
Shifting weather throughout the day kept the Honda HRC Castrol team on their toes, but Joan Mir emerged as the fifth fastest rider while Luca Marini just missed the Q2 cut off as he recovered from an early fall.
A day of dark clouds commenced round 21 of the MotoGP World Championship, weather radars and upward glances were the order of the day. With the conditions ready to change at a moment’s notice, the Honda HRC Castrol squad were keen to get to work and capitalise on the best of the track conditions at each and every moment.
Continuing to brim with confidence after two podiums, Joan Mir made himself a key fixture in the top ten once more. Eighth in the morning, the 2020 MotoGP World Champion would improve his time by over a second in the afternoon to seal fifth overall on Friday. Comfortably into Q2, Mir was able to exploit his impressive feeling with the Honda RC213V and show the pace to fight for the front two rows of the grid. With the bike setup already able to contest the top five, Mir and his team will focus on minor improvements overnight as they target a strong qualifying to line up a competitive pair of races.
Seventh in the morning, a fall early in the afternoon left Marini with just a single bike when the first shootout of the weekend began. Making an impressive improvement after a brief sprinkling of rain, the #10 would be pushed out of the top ten in the final moments. Eleventh overall and just a tenth off Q2, Marini and his team already have some ideas on how to improve and fight for the top spots in Q1 on Saturday.
The 12-lap Sprint is schedule for 15:00 Local Time on Saturday, November 08 with reasonable conditions forecast.
Joan Mir (36) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Honda HRC
Joan Mir:“A big smile today, in a positive spiral from the flyaways! Today we confirmed that we can be competitive here as well, I have a good feeling with the bike – especially with the front, and this makes my life on track a lot easier than it has been in the past. The bike is working well, of course there are things to improve but we really have a bike where we can compete now. This is really important, to arrive and know that we can be there and that we are in the area more or less straight away. Our feeling is similar to Sepang, we are close to the top guys and working in the correct way, let’s see what everyone can find tonight to be strong on Saturday too.”
Luca Marini (10) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Honda HRC
Luca Marini:“Not our best day, my mistake with the crash and some bad luck. I was a bit wide and the temperature of the tyre dropped, it’s easy to happen here with the conditions we had. It’s a pity because we lost time, we couldn’t use that bike, but I stayed focused to push hard because you could see the weather coming in. For tomorrow we need to improve the braking in Turn 1 and 5, some fine tuning to increase my speed. Today we also tried a couple of new things to help out the engineers which is always good, we’ve made a lot of progress this year but we still have more to make.”
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More from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Positive vibes for Aprilia Racing in Portimão.
The first day of practice at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve ended with positive feedback for Aprilia Racing. Marco Bezzecchi reaffirmed his outstanding feeling with the RS-GP25 and with the track, putting in a solid Friday. After his second-place time in FP1 – less than two tenths behind the top time – the Italian rider finished practice fourth, thereby clinching a spot in Q2.
Lorenzo Savadori, subbing for Jorge Martín, continued his work developing the RS-GP25, finishing practice in twenty-first place.
Also worth a mention was Trackhouse MotoGP Team rider Ai Ogura’s performance, who finished practice in the top ten, earning a spot in Q2 along with Bezzecchi.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing
Marco Bezzecchi: “The day went well because I had positive sensations already in the first session, which were then confirmed in the afternoon. We also managed to improve, especially in the session finale, despite the light rain. It was a good first day and I’m satisfied.”
Lorenzo Savadori (32) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing
Lorenzo Savadori: “Having two Aprilias in Q2 is extremely positive. We tested something interesting that seems to be working well, although it was a bit of a peculiar day because of the weather. I hadn’t raced here for several years and it’s great to be back, but we know that it is an extremely particular track, so it’s positive to see a track where we perform well.”
Paolo Bonora: “It was a positive day with Marco doing the fourth-place time which puts him straight through to Q2. We managed to send both Marco and Ogura straight to Q2 in the practice session, but there is still a lot of work to be done in order to be ready for both the sprint race and the long race. However, we know what areas we need to work on to improve. With Lorenzo, on the other hand, we are one hundred percent in line with the plan. We’re continuing to advance technical development solutions to improve the bike.”
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More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Uphill Battle for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP on Portimão Friday.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins kicked off the Grand Prix of Portugal weekend in somewhat mixed conditions. The teammates pushed to the limit at an overcast Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and ended the day in 13th and 18th place respectively in the classifications, putting them on tomorrow’s Q1 entry list.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team got straight to work on the Grand Prix of Portugal Friday. Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins used FP1 and most of the Practice to prepare for a tense shoot-out. They ended the afternoon session in 13th and 18th place respectively and will take part in tomorrow’s Q1.
Quartararo finished FP1 in P11 and was keen to push in the afternoon session. When the Practice got underway, the Frenchman showed he meant business by featuring inside the top 10 until the final 20 minutes. However, crucially, some light rain started to fall just when El Diablo was due to begin his time attack, making it more challenging to find the limit on his hot laps. Quartararo was 13th at the time and had to push. He set a 1’38.717s, which temporarily had him rank fourth, but with 6 minutes left, he was nudged outside the top 10. Though he responded by clocking a 1’38.598s on lap 21/23, he ended up in 13th place in the Practice timesheets, 0.624s from first.
Rins wrapped up FP1 in P16 and was keen to make further steps in the afternoon. The Spaniard worked diligently during the 60-minute Practice and showed his fondness of the Portimão track. He climbed up to 11th, but with 16 minutes to go, spots of rains started to fall, making track conditions more difficult to assess during the time attacks. The number-42 rider put in several more attempts, but he wasn’t able to get into the 1’38s. His 1’39.070s, set on lap 15/23, put him in 18th place in the Practice results, 1.096s from the top.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action tomorrow for the Saturday MotoGP sessions: FP2 will be held from 10:10-10:40 GMT+0, followed by the qualifying sessions from 10:50-11:30, and the 12-lap Sprint, which starts at 15:00.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
“We faced more challenges than anticipated at the start of the Portimão weekend. Today’s results reflect the poor track conditions. Unfortunately, we had sudden rain in both session which didn’t help either. Compared to our rivals we tend to struggle more in low-grip conditions, making it a complicated first day. While Fabio still came close to a top-10 result and both riders gave their maximum effort, we remain too far from the front. The level of competition is extremely high, so we are focused on extracting every ounce of performance from our package. The team is committed to supporting the riders as they prepare for a highly competitive Q1 and Sprint. Looking ahead, the forecast for the coming days is sunnier, or at least should provide fully dry sessions, allowing us to work under more consistent conditions.”
Fabio Quartararo (20) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha
Fabio Quartararo:“We are struggling quite a bit. This is a track where grip is very important. When everything is set up right, as a rider you can enjoy riding here like it’s a roller coaster. This is a track I really like, but today my feeling was not great on the bike, so we have to analyse it. We have to try to find a solution for tomorrow to improve our feeling a bit.”
Alex Rins (42) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha
Alex Rins:“This is a demanding track, and if you make a mistake, like when we missed corner 1 in the Practice, the whole lap is cancelled. Today, we struggled with a mix of problems, maybe because of the low grip and the mixed conditions. Today’s weather out on track was not ideal for us. But we need to stay positive. Let’s see if tomorrow we can do better, especially for the Sprint with more grip on track.”
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More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Francesco Bagnaia and the Ducati Lenovo Team second in Portimão Practice. Nicolò Bulega seventeenth on his MotoGP debut.
The Ducati Lenovo Team enjoyed a positive penultimate Friday of the 2025 MotoGP season at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão. Francesco Bagnaia finished Practice in second place, while Nicolò Bulega was seventeenth on his first-ever day in MotoGP.
Bagnaia started the afternoon session well, taking fourth place in the opening minutes. After briefly dropping to the lower end of the top ten, Pecco made his way back to second courtesy of an excellent time attack, ending up only 30 milliseconds shy of today’s quickest time. Bulega, this year’s WorldSBK runner-up with Ducati, showed encouraging signs aboard the Desmosedici GP as he finished seventeenth, one second off the top.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action tomorrow morning at 10:10 local time (GMT) for Free Practice 2, followed by Q1 at 10:50 and Q2 at 11:15. The twenty-first Sprint of the season will be contested over 12 laps from 15:00.
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Ducati Team
Francesco Bagnaia: “This morning we made a mistake with the front-tyre choice. I was having a bit of a difficult time because the bike tended to go wide at some corners and I couldn’t make it stop and flow into the corner. Things went better this afternoon: we started with the soft option to get some feedback from the bike, and then I enjoyed the hard front tyre as well. In the last time attack we managed to set a good lap time without pushing too hard. All in all, I’d say the situation is positive at the moment.”
Nicolo Bulega (11) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Ducati Team
Nicolo Bulega: “Today went quite well. I didn’t give too much importance to the classification: what really mattered was completing as many laps as possible and understanding the many differences compared to the bike I’m used to. Tyres are different, there are the ride-height devices to manage, and the Desmosedici GP is really a powerful machine. The positive thing, ironically enough, is that my riding wasn’t the best — but I guess that’s quite normal. There’s a lot to process and absorb, but I’ll sleep on it and start tomorrow with one more day of experience.”
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More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3:
The penultimate round of a thrilling 2025 MotoGP™ campaign has kicked off on Friday at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal. Enea Bastianini and Pol Espargaro were representing the Red Bull KTM Tech3 squad, with the latter filling in for Maverick Viñales for the 5th time this season. The number 44 did us good once again, as he directly reached Q2 for the third time this season with a 9th place in Practice, while Enea Bastianini will have to go through Q1 on Saturday, after finishing 19th.
As Maverick Viñales continues to recover, Pol Espargaro was once again a man on a mission arriving to Portimao, with some unfinished business between the Spaniard and the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, the track where he was seriously injured during the opening round of the 2023 season. Time has flown by since then, and Espargaro was ready to face this new challenge and step once again into Viñales’ boots. And he did brilliantly so, as Polyccio grabbed his direct Q2 ticket after taking the 9th place of a rain-disrupted Practice session on Friday afternoon. After a positive FP1 at the end of which we saw him take the 5th time this morning, the Spaniard managed to make it to the coveted top 10 on Friday afternoon, thanks to a very late improvement in 1’38.424, one that saw him remain in 9th at the final checkered flag. Solid job from the Spaniard, who will give his best to place his RC16 on the front rows on Saturday.
Fridays have not been Enea Bastianini’s favorites this season, with the Italian having often struggled to quickly adapt his RC16 to new tracks. One of the key points of the day was the new swing arm, brought to Enea for the first time this morning. The Italian was finally able to benefit from it, and small improvements were already noticed by the Italian, although he will need to get his head around it. In Free Practice 1, Enea was just 1.2 seconds off early pace setter, Alex Marquez. In the afternoon, track conditions were a bit tricky, with the rain joining the party, and the best Enea could give was a 1’39.130, placing him in 19th of the timesheets. He will have to face Q1 on Saturday morning at 10:50 local time, shortly after Free Practice 2 kicking off MotoGP™ action at 10:10. Then, there will be the penultimate Tissot Sprint of the season, at 15:00 for 12 laps.
Pol Espargaro (44) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3
Pol Espargaro: “Fabio Quartararo is one of those guys who keeps pushing even if there is someone behind him, and this is why he is one of the best riders, because he is confident. I tried to follow him, I tried to push as much as I could. It was really tough to make a good lap time today, so I am happy that we managed to make one which has qualified us directly into Q2. Psychologically, it has been so important for myself to reach the pit box back on my bike after my small crash this morning, and it gave me the confidence I needed for the remainder of the day, because obviously, the last time we crashed here was bad. Anyway, it was a good day for us, let’s try to qualify well tomorrow!”
Enea Bastianini (23) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM Tech3
Enea Bastianini: “Today has been more or less like the other Fridays, unfortunately. Track conditions were difficult, because it was quite dark in Practice, and it was not easy to understand which parts of the track were dry. I also think that our strategy was not great because I just had one lap with the new tires, so we need to improve this for tomorrow. For the first time, we tried the new swing arm, in both sessions. We have improved a bit, but we need to adjust a few things, because after checking the data, we are losing in some strange points of the track, where I am usually good at like T3, so we have to look into this!”
—–
More from a press release issued by CASTROL Honda LCR:
Positive start for Johann Zarco in Portugal.
Returning to Portuguese soil after more than a year, Frenchman Johann Zarco and his crew enjoyed a positive and strong start to the weekend.
From his first run in the morning, Zarco felt fast and confident, consistently placing inside the top four on the timesheets.
Although weather conditions changed throughout the day, he maintained good feeling and consistency.
He ended the day in 6th position, less than three-tenths off the fastest time, securing a direct spot in Q2 ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying.
Johann Zarco (5) at Portimao. Photo courtesy CASTROL Honda LCR
Johann Zarco 6th:“It was a positive Friday, and I was happy to have found the speed straight away. That’s good for the confidence, and the front-end feeling confirms the good feeling from Malaysia. I was able to be fast, to push, and to set a good lap time, but we still need to improve the pace. We’re working hard to find the right solution. With both medium tyres the feeling was better in the afternoon, which was good. Securing a Q2 spot is positive, and now we’ll focus on having a solid qualifying to start from a strong position in the Sprint.”
—–
More from a press release issued by IDEMITSU Honda LCR:
Somkiat Chantra completes hectic Friday in Portugal.
Somkiat Chantra was one of the highlights in Portimão on Friday after a massive wheelie in the morning session, which drew the attention of all the cameras.
In the afternoon, the Thai rider reported feeling good on the bike after testing different setups.
The Portimão track is one of the most demanding of the season, and Chantra and his crew are determined to maximize their potential and deliver the best possible performance in qualifying and the Sprint.
Somkiat Chantra (35) at Portimao. Photo courtesy IDEMITSU Honda LCR
Somkiat Chantra 20th: “Today was crazy! I had a big wheelie in sixth gear. After it, I was shaking and lucky to save it. Throughout the day, I felt good; we’ve been working on different setups to feel comfortable on this track, which is demanding but really fun. I’ll try to give my best, to improve and do better tomorrow.”
—–
More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Challenging start to the Portuguese GP for the Prima Pramac Yamaha.
The first day of the Portuguese GP proved to be demanding for the Prima Pramac Yamaha, as changing weather conditions affected both Practice sessions. Despite a positive start in the morning, the afternoon rain complicated the work on track, preventing the riders from fully expressing their potential.
The Portuguese Grand Prix got underway with mixed feelings for the Prima Pramac Yamaha team. Jack Miller displayed promising speed in the morning session, while local star Miguel Oliveira thrilled the home fans around Portimão.
Despite their efforts, the afternoon rain shuffled the order, leaving the two riders in 16th and 22nd place ahead of tomorrow‘s Q1.
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
“Jack started well, setting his best time on the new tyre when the track offered good grip. The afternoon rain created some confusion and reduced grip significantly. Between the two sessions, we worked a lot to help Miguel make a step forward, and tomorrow we‘ll try an important change to give him better support. Unfortunately, Jack couldn‘t make it directly into Q2, but we have some ideas to try”.
Jack Miller (43) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha
Jack Miller:“The day started well, with the new tyre I felt comfortable and my pace was good. In the afternoon, the weather conditions became challenging and difficult to read. I couldn‘t find the same feeling, and I also had a small crash at Turn 5 due to the incoming rain. After that, I managed to put together a decent lap, but it wasn‘t enough to get directly into Q2”.
Miguel Oliveira (88) at Portimao. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha
Miguel Oliveira:“The tricky weather conditions made our day complicated. We worked on the bike setup to find the feeling we were looking for, but unfortunately, the changes we tried didn‘t give us the results we hoped for. Tomorrow we‘ll face an uphill Saturday, but we‘ll keep pushing to turn things around”.
From left to right, Eitan Butbul, Filip Salač and Avner Kass. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
November 7, 2025 – Portimão, Portugal. The American Racing Team heads into the 2026 season with an updated rider line-up, welcoming Filip Salač to the team alongside Joe Roberts.
Salač joins the team with a strong record in Moto2 and a reputation for hard work and great motivation. His experience and approach to racing fit perfectly with the team’s mindset as American Racing continues to build on its progress and push for the team’s continuous evolution and long-term vision to remain consistently competitive at the highest level of the sport.
Eitan Butbul, Team Principal:“Every new season is an opportunity to grow, to challenge ourselves, and to take another step forward as a team. Our focus is simple: keep improving, stay hungry, and compete with passion. Change brings opportunity, and we’re fired up for what’s ahead. We’re excited to welcome Filip to the team and look forward to achieving great things together in 2026.”
Filip Salač, Rider: “I want to say thanks to Eitan for this opportunity, it means a lot to me, especially after a season that wasn’t my best. I can’t wait to start with the Team and to be back on the Kalex. I truly believe this will be a year to remember, not only for me but also for the Team. I know we’ll achieve great things together.”
Series logo and first teams revealed for 2026 Harley-Davidson World Cup. Photo courtesy Dorna
Harley-Davidson has officially revealed new details of the highly anticipated Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup during a press conference at EICMA 2025 in Milan. The brand revealed the series’ official logo, debuted a prototype race bike, and announced the first teams confirmed to compete in the inaugural season. Kicking off in 2026, the series will run alongside six MotoGP™ Grands Prix, marking a significant evolution in the company’s racing legacy.
The Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will become the world’s first global racing series dedicated exclusively to high-performance Harley-Davidson baggers. Built on the brand’s Grand American Touring platform, these race-modified bikes will deliver incredible speed, agility, and on-track drama. They weigh approximately 280 kg (617 lbs), produce more than 200 horsepower, and will exceed 300 km/h (186 mph) on track, creating a visceral racing format distinct from anything currently on the MotoGP calendar.
Harley-Davidson also revealed the official championship logo, an evolution of the brand’s iconic Bar & Shield visual language, blending Harley-Davidson heritage with a modern, global racing identity. The new visual identity was officially unveiled at the Harley-Davidson stand with the race-prepped Road Glide, purpose-built for competition by Harley-Davidson Factory Racing and featuring the official championship logo in its exclusive livery.
Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup logo
Harley-Davidson also confirmed the first teams that will join the inaugural Bagger World Cup grid: Saddlemen Racing (United States), Joe Rascal Racing (Australia) and Cecchini Racing (Italy). Each brings unique pedigree, competitive ambition, and global credibility to the new championship.
Saddlemen Racing enters as one of America’s most established and innovative V-twin performance programs. Led by David Echert, the team competes in MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers and claimed the 2024 Mission Super Hooligan National Championship, earning a reputation for technical excellence, rider development, and race-winning engineering. With deep roots in V-twin performance culture, Saddlemen brings proven capability and championship ambition to the global stage.
Joe Rascal Racing, led by James Tonna, represents Australia’s bold new voice in premium performance and international motorsport. With foundations in high-end motorcycle retail and racing operations, the program blends commercial acumen with a passion for performance culture. With a growing international footprint and rapidly expanding community, Joe Rascal joins the Bagger World Cup intent on elevating the sport across the Asia-Pacific region and proving that Australia belongs on the global bagger stage.
Cecchini Racing brings Italian motorsport heritage and decades of elite European racing experience to the championship. Led by Fabrizio Cecchini, the team has spent more than 30 years inside the MotoGP paddock supporting world-class riders and teams. Cecchini Racing arrives with engineering precision, competitive discipline and European pedigree, all now directed toward the world’s first global bagger series.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the first teams that have secured their spots in the inaugural season of the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup,”said Kolja Rebstock, Senior Vice President for International Markets, Harley-Davidson Motor Company.“Since the initial announcement of the series, we’ve seen tremendous interest from well-established and respected organizations. We’ve designed the series to feature between six and eight teams, for a total of 12 to 16 riders, and with these first three agreements, we’ve already filled almost half the grid. It’s a strong signal that confirms the momentum and excitement surrounding this project. We’re moving quickly to bring this championship to life and can’t wait to hit the track in 2026. It’s going to be loud, competitive, and unlike anything fans have ever seen before.”
As already announced in August at the Austrian GP, the championship will span six adrenaline-fueled rounds, each held during MotoGP ™ weekends, with two races per round, totaling 12 races across the season. This format brings Harley-Davidson’s signature performance to some of the world’s most iconic circuits, amplifying the excitement for fans and riders alike. The 2026 calendar includes:
• Grand Prix of The Americas – Circuit of the Americas (USA): March 27–29
• Grand Prix of Italy – Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello (Italy): May 29–31
• Grand Prix of the Netherlands – TT Circuit Assen (Netherlands): June 26–28
• Grand Prix of the United Kingdom – Silverstone Circuit (UK): August 7–9
• Grand Prix of Aragon – MotorLand Aragón (Spain): August 28–30
• Grand Prix of Austria – Red Bull Ring (Austria): September 18–20 – Championship Round
With the Bagger World Cup, Harley-Davidson is redefining what’s possible on two wheels, bringing thunder, torque, and a whole new level of excitement to racetracks around the world.
Harley-Davidson Background:
Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Our vision: Building our legend and leading our industry through innovation, evolution and emotion. Our mission: More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul. Our ambition is to maintain our place as the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture by delivering a motorcycle lifestyle with distinctive and customizable motorcycles, experiences, motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing, insurance and other programs to help get riders on the road. Harley-Davidson also has a controlling interest in LiveWire Group, Inc., the first publicly traded all-electric motorcycle company in the United States. LiveWire is the future in the making for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. Drawing on its DNA as an agile disruptor from the lineage of Harley-Davidson and capitalizing on a decade of learnings in the EV sector, LiveWire’s ambition is to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world. Learn more at harley-davidson.com and livewire.com.
MotoGP™ Background:
Welcome to the most exciting sport on earth. The fastest bikes. The most forward- thinking manufacturers. The world’s most fearless riders. This is the hunt, and there can only be one winner. Come with us to the edge of possibility and the edge of your seat. MotoGP™. Faster. Forward. Fearless.
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These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
MASSIMO MEREGALLI – Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha
GINO BORSOI – Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
